Can Chives Prevent Food Poisoning?

Category: Diet and Nutrition

The study, presented at the March 26-30, 2006 American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Atlanta, investigated the anti-bacterial activity of various plants. Researchers at North Carolina A&T State University, in Greensboro, purified chives into an extract and tested various quantities of it on 38 strains of salmonella.

The researchers found that sufficient quantities of chive extract inhibited the different strains of salmonella. However, a high amount of chive extract, about 800 microliters, was needed to produce a 100 percent protective effect against salmonella. Furthermore, when the chive extract was heated above 250 degrees the antibacterial effect was destroyed.

Although large quantities of chives were needed to counteract bacterial pathogens, the researchers suggest that adding chives to foods can still be a healthy move. "In the future, chive extracts might provide a natural alternative to irradiation and artificial preservatives to guard against food poisoning," write the study authors.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on October 20, 2013 11:00 AM